Tsuki Tachiagari
by Lord Rengar
Summary: Ashitaka leaves Iron town and San behind.  Bothered by the remains of his curse, his unwavering feelings, and clouded mind he tries to find peace with himself.


Tsuki Tachiagari

I don't own Princess Mononoke nor am I writing this for profit. Reviews are always appreciated, as are just general comments. I try to write accurately, but I do make mistakes. If you see grammar or spelling mistakes feel free to let me know so I can correct them. If you don't like my story and can write a well reasoned response as to why I'll listen. Otherwise, just stop reading.

Thanks -LR

Chapter 1

A cold wind blew into the cave where the young boy slept. His fire had died down to embers and gave almost no heat. His straw cloak was draped over him to ward off the night chill. The boy, the young Price Ashitaka, had begun wandering again. Ashitaka had left Iron Town a month ago, at the end of fall, to travel north. It had been several years since he last saw the people there.

After the Forest Spirit had disappeared, Ashitaka had taken up residence in Iron Town, at the behest of townspeople and their charismatic leader, Lady Eboshi. They offered to build him a large house, because he was a hero who had saved their town, but because he was modest he accepted only a small two room shack. Ashitaka also had the eye of every unmarried woman in Iron Town, as well as the eyes of some of the married ones. Other than several scars on his right arm, a lingering reminder of the curse he once bore, he was quite handsome.

However, Ashitaka's heart belonged only to one. Her name was San and she lived amongst the wolves of the forest. He had pleaded with her several times to join him in Iron Town, and she had always refused. She wasn't as hostile towards the town as she was when they first met, but she still held a grudge over the loss of her mother Moro, and the damage that the humans had done to the forest she and her kin protected. They had granted the humans permission to rebuild their town and go back to iron mining, under conditions that they replenish trees when they closed their mines and that they request permission to clear away more of the forest.

It hadn't gone smoothly, but no one thought that it would. Yet, in spite of their bad history the two sides had found a mutual agreement. They were coexisting. Ashitaka was overjoyed with the prospect, as he had acted as an emissary between the two sides. However, the hero's joy was short lived. Although the agreement took a year to be fully agreed upon, he had made no progress in his relationship with San. They both cared for each other, that much they both understood, but neither was willing to give up the one part of themselves that forced them to be apart.

Iron Town wasn't fully rebuilt, but they were prospering. Ashitaka was restless and he didn't understand why. So one day he left Iron Town. He packed what few things he had and mounted his faithful red elk Yakul and rode north. He stopped briefly in the forest to see San and let her know what he was doing. She had begged him to stay. He wanted to but knew that he couldn't. When she saw that reason would not persuade him she gave in to her feral instincts. She kicked and scratched him, and when he managed to restrain her she bit him on his right arm until he let her go.

Tears were streaming down her face as she turned her back to him and softly told him to go. Although he felt the same pain she did, he knew what he must do. Whispering a\quick "Farewell," Ashitaka left behind the wolf girl he loved. His trek was not easy, and every so often the burning pain he felt while he was cursed would simmer in his forearm. Although the curse was lifted, remnants of it, such as the scars and this pain, still remained. It was not completely bad, some of the supernatural strength that the cursed had granted him still remained, although it was a small fraction of what he once had.

Ashitaka had passed through several small farming villages, in order to restock his supplies, but he tried to avoid them if he could. He had obtained a small notoriety from the Iron Town incident. Although he wasn't immediately recognized, clever people would pick up on the small oddities that surrounded him. This led to his identification, and this brought unwanted attention, from those with both good and bad intentions. He had been chased from one village by armed guards, and when he stopped to rest a young girl came up to him with a bag of rice and a request to marry him.

So to avoid these troubles he stuck to forest trails as much as possible. He relished the peace of the untouched wilderness. His thoughts lingered on the friends he had left behind, but most of all he thought of San. His stubborn refusal to give up his ties to the people he had come to know and had adopted him into their village had kept them apart and he hated himself for it. He was mad at San for letting the same feelings about the forest keep her from living with him in Iron Town.

With these thoughts he found shelter from the cold nights that signaled the onset of winter. After eating next to a small campfire he spread out his bedroll and fell asleep. His dreams were filled with his memories of the people he had left behind months ago. Of Toki and Kohorku, and their ceaseless fights, Lady Eboshi and her retainers, Takao and Katsuya and the rest of the kids he had grown to know. The one person he didn't dream of this night, the first in a long time, was San.


End file.
